Improvement in potato-diggers



Tolar/ZZ whom t may concern:

i Unirse f Sra'rns Be it known that we, GoRNELrUs VAN DER- y ZEE and BENJAMIN REAMEmof Albany, in

the county of Albany and VState of New York,

have invented certain Improvements in Potato-Diggers, Vof which thefollowingis a specication. i p y The principal obj ect of our invention relates tothe constructionof a rotating separator having"radial arms-covered with india-rubber` or any equivalent thereof, so Athat the radial arms will not cut the potatoes which are presented to them bythe share or digger. l

ur invention is `designed mainly as an iniprovement to the potato-digger for which Letters Patent were granted to us jointly under date of July 20, 1869; t yet these improvements may be applied to other machines used V for@` the same purpose;

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one-half of a machine embodying-our invention. The

l two opposite sides are `similarly constructed, 1 excepting that one side only has driving-gears made of wood oriron,`or of any othersuitable material. The inner end of the side G is peri forated, so as to allow theV axle R to revolve freely within it; or it may, if desired, be keyed l to or otherwise fastened totheaxle.

` The front end, m, of theframe connects the side pieces,

` G, Ito the pole o, as shown in the accompanyingl drawing. Side piece, G, has a short arm, G25 projecting downward,` and at an acute anglelwith it, as shown in lig.` 1, for the purpose of supporting bent lever F by its fulcra'c, also thef` lower end of operating-lever K, as shown in the .accompanying drawing.

H is a. radial link,` one end. of which works freely upon aXle R, andthe other is connected to bracket-shaped or back link,E, by countershaft O, as shown in fFig. 1.

F is a bent lever, supported on short arm G2 of side piece, G,as shown at c in the accompanying drawing. F connected to back'link,E, at a point, b, be-

. low counter-shaft O, soas to produce a parallel fmotion of link H and back half or bent le- `in operation.

rlhe rear end of bent lever Partnr @rr-ron..

RNELIus VAN DERZEE ANDBENJAMIN BEAMER, or ALBANY, new YORK.

\ uvl PRovElvl ENT IN PoTATo-Dlcc Ess.

. ASpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. E 03,255, dated May 17, 19.70.

for retaining the operating-leverK in any desired position.

a is a spring secured to lever K, 'to keep it against quadrant f, so as to press the stop-pin on lever K into the holes in quadrant f.

P is the lower portion of the support forthe drivers seat.

V is a support for end of counter-shaft O. T is a connecting rod 4or brace between links H.

Y is'abrace at the back ofthe machine,irml y connecting together the back links, E, and also forming a support for the upright shaft P, as shown in Fig. 1.

Bis a fiat share or digger, which is attached to and supported by the back links, E. I

W is a rotating separator secured to the lower end of shaft l?, and revolves close t'behind share B. The back part of shareB is cut out semicireularly, so as to allow the arms of wheel W to pass in close-proximity to its edge, as

shown in Fig. 1. Wheel W is constructed with `arms t, secured to a hub, z. Said armst may be-curved or straight, and set at an. angle with the hub, so as to be tangent to the same, or set in a radial direction, as shown in the accompanying drawing, which last position we prefer, as being easiest of construction and best The arms tor separator W are covered with india-rubber tubing, s, or other equivalent elastic material. The elastic covering s extends from the hub z of the wheel W nearly to the circular edge of the back part of A share B. The arms t may extendl a little beyond the elastic covering s, so as to pass under the back edge -of shareB, as shown in the aecompanying drawing.

X is a circular cutter, one of which is placed at each side of share B, and in about the relative position to it, as shown in Fig. 1. Said circular cutter X is supported by an arm, y,

which is securely fastened to back link, E.

- It will be seen ,ifrom the above description Vthat the share B, the wheel W, the vine-cutter X, and the operating mechanism of the machinemay be raised or lowered at pleasure by means of lever K. As the potatoes are dug up or unearthed by the share B they are carried up toward the revolving arms of Wheel W by the forward motion of the machine, when, if the arms of Wheel W were constructed entirely of metal or Wood or of other hard and unyielding substance, many of the potatoes 'would be ruined by being eut to pieces or badly bruised by the arms of the wheels, whereas by our improved mode of constructing the arms of Wheel V all suoli difficulties and losses will be avoided. Vithout cutters Xthe vines will become entangled with the machine and prevent its easy op eration, retarding its progress, and thus causing much loss of time, all of which diflculties are obviated by the employment of cutters X, as above shown and described.

Ve claim as our inventionl. The Wheel W, constructed with elastic covered arms, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of circular cutters X, Wheel W, and share B, with lever L, frame G, links H and E, and driving-gear M, N, D, and C, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore shown and described.

CORNELIUS VAN DERZEE. BENJAMIN BEAMER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. STREVELL, N. T. SMITH. 

